Associated Faculty Harshavardhan Bapat, Gary Butler, Remi Imeokparia, Michael Lemke, Robert McGregor, William Siles
Emeritus Faculty Alexander Casella, Edward Hawes, Malcolm Levin, John Munkirs, Charles Schweighauser, William Warren, Roy Wehrle
Associated Emeritus Faculty William Martz
Adjunct Faculty Deanna Glosser, Rhonald Hasenyager, Stu Jacobson, Roger Kanerva, Greg Michaud, John Sherrill, Darlene Snyder
The mission of the Department of Environmental Studies is to provide students with the advanced interdisciplinary training necessary for solving environmental problems. Graduates of the department are prepared for diverse careers in the environmental field.
The principle emphasis in the M.S. and the M.A. degrees is on professional development. Faculty work with each student to create a specialized educational plan (developed before the first semester of study). The M.S. and M.A. degrees are designed for people who intend to enter the job market for the first time, as well as for midcareer professionals. Students should consult advising documents for their chosen degree and concentrations as well as the information provided below.
Admission to either the M.S. or M.A. degree programs will be considered for students with bachelor's degrees from accredited colleges and universities. Applications are accepted year-round. Applications are evaluated by the Graduate Admissions Committee. Full admission requires a GPA of at least 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale), satisfactory completion (B or better) of a 300-level ecology course with lab, and an undergraduate or work background in environmental sciences, environmental studies, or similar degree. Students with a GPA between 2.50 and 3.00, deficient in the ecology with lab prerequisite, and/or from backgrounds not centered in environmental studies, will be considered for conditional admission. If conditional admission is recommended, the student is expected to complete satisfactorily (B or better) one or more of the following: 300 level or higher ecology with lab (ENS 546 will meet this requirement), ENS 551, and ENS 552, during his or her first year in the program. Admission to the online M.A. degree program also requires that applicants have taken a 300-level or higher ecology course with lab and received a B or better (Because ENS 546 can not be taken by online students, department will consider petitions for acceptance of a non-lab online ecology course as substitute for this prerequisite).
All applicants for admission to the Environmental Studies Department must complete a graduate application to the campus. All applicants for admission should request consideration for the M.A., M.A. online, or M.S. degree. If the applicant also knows the M.A. concentration or M.S. option he/she desires to study, the applicant may also request selective admission to one of these tracks at the time of application. Applicants must also submit to the department a letter of application stating their academic and vocational goals and two letters of recommendation from either professors or employers. Complete transcripts should be sent to the admissions office as part of the application for admission to UIS. Decisions for admission will only be made after the application file is complete. Applicants will be notified of their status as soon as possible. For further information about admission requirements, contact the Environmental Studies Department.
Students must maintain a B or better average during their course of study. A maximum of eight hours of C grades is applicable to a degree, provided they are balanced by an equal number of A grade hours.
All new students must participate in a graduate student orientation during the first week of the fall semester. In conjunction with his or her adviser, each student must prepare an educational plan before the first semester of study. The educational plan is submitted to the department chair for final approval.
The curriculum for the Master of Science in Environmental Sciences is designed to allow students to gain strong scientific understanding of ways to study, evaluate, and interpret environmental realities and their impacts, as well as to manage and mitigate environmental problems. Objectives are to enable students to 1) develop a basic literacy in the natural and social sciences and the humanities as they contribute to an understanding of environmental issues; 2) critically analyze environmental problems; 3) identify, research, and evaluate environmental problems; and 4) compare, contrast, implement, and manage short- and long-term solutions to environmental problems.
Two options are available: environmental sciences and environmental risk science. The department recommends that students entering environmental sciences have knowledge of organic chemistry, algebra, statistics, geology, and biology.
Core requirements
ENS 551 Environmental Natural Sciences 4 Hrs.
ENS 552 Environmental Social Sciences and the Humanities 4 Hrs.
ENS 553 Research Methods in Environmental Studies 4 Hrs.
Total core 12 Hrs.
Option and electives
Total of option and electives. (See below.) 28 Hrs.
Closure
Each graduate degree candidate must complete one of the following closure options.
ENS 510 Thesis 4 Hrs.
or ENS 520 Graduate Project 4 Hrs.
Total degree hours 44 Hrs.
*Students may also want to take ENS 530 Internship (4 hours). Students who hold Graduate Public Service Internships may use four hours of internship seminar (PAD 460) toward their environmental studies degree. Graduate students may take no more than 12 hours of 400-level courses.
General environmental sciences option (28 Hrs.)
Build competency in tools of environmental sciences important in researching environmental situations and their impact on environmental and public health.
Required 8 Hrs.
ENS 449 Environmental Toxicology 4 Hrs.
BIO 571 Advanced Ecology 4 Hrs.
Select 12 Hrs. from the following:
ENS 444 Aquatic Ecology 4 Hrs.
ENS 445 Biology of Water Pollution 4 Hrs.
ENS 447 Environmental Chemistry 4 Hrs.
ENS 485 Environmental Policies: Water Quality 4 Hrs.
ENS 521 Environmental Risk Assessment 4 Hrs.
ENS 522 Risk Assessment: Air, Land and Water 4 Hrs.
ENS 526 Risk Management and Communications 4 Hrs.
ENS 527 Strategic Environmental Management 4 Hrs.
ENS 542 Ecosystem Management 4 Hrs.
ENS 561 Foundations of Epidemiology 4 Hrs.
ENS 562 Analytical Epidemiology 4 Hrs.
ENS 555 Analytical Tools for the Environmental Sciences 4 Hrs.
CHE 415 Biochemistry I 4 Hrs.
CHE 421 Instrumental Analysis 4 Hrs.
CHE 425 Interpretive Spectroscopy 3 Hrs.
Other courses may be selected if approved by the student's adviser and the department chair.
Electives 8 Hrs.
Appropriate courses will be selected from within or outside the ENS department in consultation with the student's adviser.
Risk Sciences option (28 Hrs.)
Use tools and strategies of risk sciences to evaluate and manage impacts on environmental and public health.
Required 12 Hrs.
ENS 449 Environmental Toxicology 4 Hrs.
ENS 521 Environmental Risk Assessment 4 Hrs.
ENS 522 Risk Assessment: Air, Land, and Water 4 Hrs.
Select 8 Hrs. from the following:
ENS 419 Environmental Law 4 Hrs.
ENS 421 Environmental Economics 4 Hrs.
ENS 447 Environmental Chemistry 4 Hrs.
ENS 523 Risk Assessment Practicum 4 Hrs.
ENS 526 Risk Management and Communication 4 Hrs.
ENS 527 Strategic Environmental Management 4 Hrs.
ENS 555 Analytical Tools for the Environmental Sciences 4 Hrs.
ENS 561 Foundations of Epidemiology 4 Hrs.
ENS 562 Analytical Epidemiology 4 Hrs.
ENS 563 Environmental and Occupational Health 4 Hrs.
ENS 583 Environmental Policies: NEPA 4 Hrs.
Other courses may be selected if approved by the student's adviser and the department chair.
Electives 8 Hrs.
Appropriate courses will be selected from within or outside the ENS department in consultation with the student's adviser.
Risk assessment is a frequently used tool in environmental analysis. The graduate certificate in environmental risk assessment provides students with the professional education necessary to perform risk assessment operations for a variety of environmental and public health situations. Students will also relate risk assessment methodologies, procedures, and results to environmental policies. To earn a certificate, students must complete the curriculum with at minimum a B average.
Students complete 16 credit hours for the certificate: ENS 421 Environmental Economics, ENS 521 Environmental Risk Assessment, ENS 522 Risk Assessment: Air, Land and Water; and ENS 523 Risk Assessment Practicum.
The Graduate Certificate in Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security (EPHS Certificate) is a 20-hour interdisciplinary certificate program administered by the Department of Environmental Studies. Courses for the certificate are offered by all College of Public Affairs and Administration programs: criminal justice, environmental studies, legal studies, political studies, public administration, and public health.
The EPHS certificate provides interdisciplinary professional education to the administrators of governmental agencies and others who need to enhance their skills and abilities in the area. Among this audience will be individuals in law enforcement administration, fire departments, public health agencies and health care providers as well as people in private industry. This unique program provides post-bachelor’s education for administrators rather than training for first responders or professional education for individuals just entering the workforce.
Students take three core courses in environmental risk assessment, risk communication and management, and program evaluation. Two elective courses will allow students to extend these skills to one or two disciplinary areas. The electives have been chosen to include courses on salient issues of public policy influenced by recent challenges in emergency preparedness and homeland security.
The curriculum for the Master of Arts in Environmental Studies is designed to allow students to gain an understanding of ways to balance social and economic needs with environmental realities, to learn how to use resources imaginatively for sustainable development, and to become aware of the role of values in issue formulation and policy making. Objectives are to enable students to 1) develop basic literacy in the natural and social sciences and the humanities as they contribute to an understanding of environmental affairs; 2) critically analyze environmental problems; 3) enhance awareness of human dependence on the environment; 4) research historical roots of environmental problems and the impact of human activities over time; 5) communicate and evaluate issues in environmental policies and actions; and 6) evaluate short- and long-term solutions to environmental problems.
Three concentrations are available: environmental humanities; natural resources and sustainable development; and environmental policy, planning, and administration.
Core requirements
ENS 551 Environmental Natural Sciences 4 Hrs.
ENS 552 Environmental Social Sciences and the Humanities 4 Hrs.
ENS 553 Research Methods in Environmental Studies 4 Hrs.
Total core 12 Hrs.
Option and electives
Total of option and electives. (See below.) 28 Hrs.
Closure
Each graduate degree candidate must complete one of the following closure options.
ENS 510 Thesis 4 Hrs.
or ENS 520 Graduate Project 4 Hrs.
Total degree hours 44 Hrs.
*Students may also want to take ENS 530 Internship (4 hours) in conjunction with their closure exercises. Students who hold Graduate Public Service Internships may use four hours of internship seminar (PAD 460) toward their environmental studies degree. Graduate students may take no more than 12 hours of 400-level courses.
Explores theories of sustainable development and policy in order to: 1) understand the historical context and critically evaluate the current framework of natural resources and environmental policy, 2) gain a comprehensive understanding of the three conceptual elements of sustainability (biophysical, policy/social, and economic), 3) communicate and evaluate issues in sustainable development policies and practices, and 4) assess the feasibility of and strategies for natural resources and environmental policy changes toward sustainable development.
Required 12 Hrs.
ENS 571 Sustainable Development 4 Hrs.
ENS 581 Environmental Policy and Analysis 4 Hrs.
ENS 587 Natural Resources: Policy and Administration 4 Hrs.
Select 8 credit hours from among the following three groups:
Policy and Social
ENS 403 Transportation: Problems and Planning Procedures 4 Hrs.
ENS 404 Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems 4 Hrs.
ENS 419 Environmental Law 4 Hrs.
ENS 461 Geopolitics Geographic Aspects of International Affairs 4 Hrs.
ENS 485 Environmental Policies: Water Quality 4 Hrs.
ENS 486 Solid and Hazardous Wastes Policy 4 Hrs.
ENS 545 Comparative Cultural Ecology 4 Hrs.
ENS 583 Environmental Policies: National Environmental Protection Act 4 Hrs.
Economics
ENS 421 Environmental Economics 4 Hrs.
ECO 413 Econometrics 4 Hrs.
ECO 445 Economic Development 4 Hrs.
Biophysical
ENS 449 Environmental Toxicology 4 Hrs.
ENS 463 Our Changing Climate 4 Hrs.
ENS 468 Environmental Geology 4 Hrs.
ENS 542 Ecosystems Management 4 Hrs.
ENS 547 Environmental Agriculture 4 Hrs.
BIO 446 Restoration Ecology 4 Hrs.
BIO 571 Advanced Ecology 4 Hrs.
Other courses may be selected if approved by the student's adviser and the department chair.
Electives 8 Hrs.
Of these 16 hours (electives plus policy and social, economics, or biophysical courses), no more than 8 hours may be selected from any one category. Appropriate courses will be selected from within or outside the environmental studies department in consultation with the student's adviser.
ONLINE M.A. in Environmental Studies Concentration in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development
Students interested in the M.A. in Environmental Studies with a concentration in natural resources and sustainable development can now obtain their degree online. Students must apply specifically for the online degree. Application requires transcripts that show the student has completed a 300-level or above ecology course with lab with a grade of B or better prior to formal admission into the degree program. Students deficient in ecology will be required to satisfy the deficiency before starting their research thesis or project and completing their degree. (Since ENS 546 can not be taken by online students, department will consider petitions for acceptance of a non-lab online ecology course as substitute for this prerequisite). All other core, concentration, and elective requirements are the same as those for the degree offered on campus.
Prepares students for positions in environmental planning and management by examining 1) principles and practices of environmental planning and management, 2) United States environmental policies as they relate to environmental planning, 3) tools and techniques for preparing and implementing and effective environmental plans, and 4) strategies to evaluate effectiveness of environmental management plans.
Required 12 Hrs.
ENS 501 Land Use and Environmental Planning 4 Hrs.
ENS 527 Strategic Environmental Management 4 Hrs.
ENS 581 Environmental Policy and Analysis 4 Hrs.
Select 8 Hrs. from the following:
Planning and Policy
ENS 403 Transportation: Problems and Planning Procedures 4 Hrs.
ENS 419 Environmental Law 4 Hrs.
ENS 486 Solid and Hazardous Wastes Policy 4 Hrs.
ENS 571 Sustainable Development 4 Hrs.
ENS 583 Environmental Policies: National Environmental Policy Act 4 Hrs.
Planning Tools and Technology
ENS 404 Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems 4 Hrs.
ENS 503 Advanced GIS Applications in Environmental Planning 4 Hrs.
ENS 504 Environmental Modeling with GIS 4 Hrs.
Economics and Development
ENS 421 Environmental Economics 4 Hrs.
ECO 445 Economic Development 4 Hrs.
Other courses may be selected if approved by the student's adviser and the department chair.
Electives 8 Hrs.
Appropriate courses will be selected from within or outside the environmental studies department in consultation with the student's adviser.
Provides a broad-based understanding of ethical, social, communicative, literary, historical, artistic perspectives as they relate to ecological systems; examines historical development of theoretical perspectives from humanities on the interaction of social and ecological systems; applies ethical criteria and critical thinking in the analysis of environmental issues in comparative cultural contexts.
Required Concentration Core 8 Hrs.
ENS 476 Environmental Ethics 4 Hrs.
ENS 545 Comparative Cultural Ecology 4 Hrs.
Choose 12 Hrs. from the following:
Society and the Environment
ENS 411 Introduction to Environmental Education 4 Hrs.
ENS 450 Chemicals and the Citizen 4 Hrs.
ENS 461 Geopolitics: Geographical Aspects of International Affairs 4 Hrs.
SOA 481 North American Indians: Culture and Ecology 4 Hrs.
Communication and Literature
ENS 548 Writing and the Environment 4 Hrs.
ENS 556 Environmental Issues and the Press 4 Hrs.
ENG 555 Literary Theory and Criticism 4 Hrs.
ENG 578 Rhetoric, Reality, and Epistemology 4 Hrs.
History and Art
ENS 412 World Environmental Thought 4 Hrs.
ENS 418 American Environmental History 4 Hrs.
ENS 505 Historic Environmental Preservation 4 Hrs.
ART 463 Modern Art History 4 Hrs.
ART 464 Contemporary Art History 4 Hrs.
HIS 439 American Agricultural History 4 Hrs.
HIS 442 American Urban History 4 Hrs.
HIS 511 Museum/Historic Sites Methods 4 Hrs.
PHI 432 Philosophy of Art 4 Hrs.
Internship
ENS 530 Internship 4 Hrs.
Electives 8 Hrs.
Appropriate courses will be selected from within or outside the environmental studies department in consultation with the student's adviser.
M.S. and M.A. candidates, with the assistance of their advisers and graduate committees, are required to develop a thesis or major graduate project. For many students, the culminating experience of graduate-level work is a formal thesis. Other students develop a substantial and carefully designed graduate project, such as an interpretive plan for a nature center, an exhibit for a museum or visitors' center, a film or multimedia show with supportive materials, a laboratory research project, or a finished and well-researched draft of environmental legislation or policy. Both the thesis or project proposal and final product are defended in an oral examination before the graduate committee.
Students enroll for thesis or project credit hours when their thesis or project concept paper has been approved by their graduate committee. Students must enroll in a total of four hours of master's closure exercise for credit; however, they may accrue the total in increments. After beginning a closure exercise, students are required by campus policy to be enrolled in at least one semester hour of closure exercise each semester until the exercise is completed. For environmental studies students, this means that if the closure exercise is not completed by the end of four credit hours, students must register for zero credit hours (one billable hour) of ENS 511 Thesis or ENS 529 Graduate Project (as applicable) in all subsequent semesters (except summers) until the exercise is completed.
Development of an educational plan is a key activity on which student and adviser work closely to develop a plan that is appropriate for the student's background, aspirations, and needs. The plan indicates the courses for the chosen degree and concentration and is developed prior to enrolling for courses in the first semester of study. Students are expected to demonstrate how the plan is appropriate for their background, aspirations, and needs. The department chair approves the plan. Amendments may be made during the course of study with approval of the adviser and department chair.
Graduate Committee: In consultation with the student, the graduate committee reviews and evaluates the thesis or graduate project proposal and final product.
Variances and waivers: Courses that the student wishes or needs to take are listed in the educational plan; variances sought from requirements must be indicated. Courses in other departments/programs that are not crosslisted or that have been taken at other institutions of higher education must also be listed. All variances must be approved by the adviser and department chair.
Internships: Environmental studies faculty believe that a period of time working in an environmental agency or organization can be a vital part of professional training. Students in the Graduate Public Service Internship program may count up to four hours of their special internship seminar, PAD 460, toward the internship.
To earn a minor in environmental studies, students must complete a minimum of 16 credit hours, which includes two core courses and a minimum of three elective courses. Students are expected to meet with an ENS adviser before beginning the minor.
Required core courses
ENS 251 Introduction to Environmental Sciences 3 Hrs.
BIO 371 Principles of Ecology 4 Hrs.
The 100-300 level elective courses listed below are 3 credit hours each. Undergraduate students taking 400-level courses may receive 3 or 4 credit hours per course (depending on the course), while graduate students taking 400-level courses always receive 4 credit hours per course. Students taking these courses as undergraduates may not repeat them for credit as graduate students.
Students are required to take at least three elective courses, only one of which may be below the 300-level. At least one elective must be at the 400-level. No more than two electives may be taken from any one of the categories listed below.
Environmental Policy/Law//Planning
ENS 301 Environmental Justice in America
ENS 403 Transportation Problems and Planning Procedures
ENS 404 Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems
ENS 419 Environmental Law
ENS 421 Environmental Economics
ENS 461 Geopolitics: Geographic Aspects of International Affairs
ENS 484 Environmental Policies: Water Quality
ENS 486 Solid and Hazardous Wastes Policy
Environmental Social Sciences/Humanities
ENS 101 Women and the Environment
ENS 201 Literature and the Environment
ENS 221 Environmental Facts and Fictions: Mystery Genre
ENS 331 Evolution and Creationism
ENS 412 World Environmental Thought
ENS 418 American Environmental History
ENS 476 Environmental Ethics
Environmental Sciences
ENS 262 Environmental Physical Geography
ENS 311 Global Change and Local Places
ENS 447 Environmental Chemistry
ENS 449 Environmental Toxicology
ENS 450 Chemicals and the Citizen
ENS 463 Our Changing Climate
ENS 468 Environmental Geology
The Department of Environmental Studies may approve up to 7 semester hours of lower- and upper-division transfer credits toward the undergraduate minor in environmental studies.